I'm dedicating this to everyone who's ever taken the trouble to read and comment to my stuff ... you know who you are!
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SPRING CLEANING
Sunday was supposed to be an easy day. It usually was for them; shopping, going to the park, taking care of the laundry, getting their cars washed, the simple everyday things that a couple did. But today was different. Today, they decided to clean out one of their bedrooms.
**********
“Perhaps you’d care to explain what this is?” he asked, laughing at a mangled lump of unidentifiable origin.
She stared at it blankly for a moment before she burst out laughing. “So that’s where it went. That is … was … an old slipper. It was wet from the rain when I had to go out to rescue the paper and then I left them out to dry. I never saw this one again and I always wondered where it went.”
“You never thought to check your closet for one missing slipper?”
“No. I had the other one to keep me company.”
He grinned, reaching over to pull her head in for a kiss. “That’s what I love about you: that eternal optimistic Pollyanna spirit.”
“How else could I put up with you?” she retorted, kissing him back.
***********
Rest came an hour later. She made them a pitcher of iced tea and a tray of sandwiches. They surveyed the three piles of things before them. There was a huge pile of items ‘Beyond Salvation’.
“So we trash those?” he asked for confirmation.
She nodded.
“I’ll take them to the dump.”
“You know,” she said slowly, “not everything is beyond salvation though. I just don’t need these things anymore. Not that I don’t want them.”
He smiled. And quickly turned her attention to a smaller pile of ‘Good but not wanted’. He knew her well enough to know she was capable of replacing everything.
“This is sad, isn’t it? To be good but not wanted?”
He eyed her, wondering if there was a deeper meaning to her words. Her thoughts seemed to be far away, but she didn’t appear sad so he let it pass.
The last pile was the pile of ‘Treasures’. He was secretly thrilled to note that his first gift to her was in the pile. It was old and well worn and obviously well loved. But she’d put it in this pile. It did his heart a world of good.
**********
“I don’t know how all of this is going to fit!” she wailed. “I never knew I had so much stuff and there's still another cupboard to clear.”
He grinned. “So we go through the lot again and cull … ruthlessly.”
“Ruthlessly? I never knew you had it in you to be ruthless!”
“Oh, I can be. My pursuit of you was pretty ruthless … eventually.”
She giggled. “That wasn’t ruthless; that was a piece of cake. I was waiting for you the whole time.”
“Oh, really?”
“Hmmm … but I’m glad you see yourself as ruthless. Imagine what it might be like if you’d decided you were slow and steady?”
**********
“Now you’ve done it!” he growled, making a grab for her. “Now you’ve gone and made me upset. I need to be consoled … comforted … ”
He was.
**********
Getting everything to the dump alone took two trips. The trips could’ve been completed in under an hour but they made a stop to check in on a special store and then they were side tracked after parking the car.
By the time they had packed the ‘Treasures’ into his car, it was close to dinner time. They called it a day, showered quickly at her apartment and took the boxes to his home, opting to stroll to the nearby café for dinner.
**********
Choosing what to keep and throw had always been her problem, she confessed over dinner. She wanted to keep everything because they reminded her of little pieces of her life. Throwing things out was like slamming the door to little pockets of life.
**********
“Letting go is never easy,” he said, understanding. “But sometimes, it’s because you need the space for something even better when it comes along. It happens to all of us as we grow and change and seek different things.”
**********
“Even for you,” she said, looking horrified.
“What about me?” he asked, frowning in concern.
“I’ve been so wrapped up about clearing my things I never asked about yours! Or helped you with yours! I’m so sorry.”
He smiled and took her hand to kiss it.
“I’ve been throwing stuff out … gradually over the months. Don’t worry about me. I never had that much to begin with. I’m not a hoarder, unlike some people.”
She swatted him, grinning.
**********
As she helped him carry her boxes into his apartment, she gasped at the transformation. Gone was the familiar green and brown colour scheme of his living room. In its place was blue, white and shots of gold.
“Surprised?”
“Yes!” She put the boxes down and threw herself into his arms. “You redecorated while we were at my place!”
“Yep. I had the men in over the last couple of weekends.”
“That’s why you didn’t ever want to do anything here. You incredible man! It’s gorgeous. I love it!”
**********
“Now do you want to see the bedroom?” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
“Yes!”
He laughed at her excitement. He took her hand and pulled her up the short flight of stairs.
“Close your eyes,” he said.
She obeyed, trusting him completely. When she felt the tap on her shoulder, she opened her eyes.
**********
Instantly, her eyes filled with tears and then she smiled.
The smile was worth the world to him.
They’d discussed their ideas and colour schemes and each had made suggestions, rejections and eventually arrived at certain compromises. Here, before her, was the actualisation of their plans. He had kept his bed, as agreed, but the walls had been repainted and the furniture had been stripped and repainted in lighter shades.
She recognised the furnishings from a catalogue she had spotted and squealed over. She’d rejected the set as too expensive. He’d quietly bought the lot.
And here it was: her dream bedroom. And she had him to share it with.
**********
“Never, never let anyone tell you you’re not a sentimental romantic,” she said, grabbing him once more. “You’re spoiling me!”
“I should do this more often. It seems to bring out the vixen in you,” he laughed.
She wrinkled her nose at him. “You can spoil me all you want.”
After kissing him thoroughly and going though every change in the room making suitably loving comments, she sighed deeply.
**********
“Getting married is more fun than I thought,” she said happily.
“You ever thought it might not be fun?” He looked hurt.
She rolled her eyes at him but she was suddenly serious.
“I had my worries … you, me, learning to live together and deal with the day to day aspects of life … I had my moments. It’s two separate lives coming together and two sets of needs, and I know I have more needs than you do.”
He thought hard. “That’s true. You want me to reconsider this whole thing?”
She threw a cushion at him. “Don’t you dare. I’ve cleaned out my apartment … my closets … I couldn’t bear to think I have nowhere to stay.”
“Oh, so you’re just moving in … I’m really just getting a flatmate … ”
She laughed. “No, darling, you’re getting a wife … in a week. It’s too late for you to run.”
Jack pulled her against him.
“Who says I’m running, Sue Hudson-to-be?”
THE END
That was precious! First I wondered who the couple was, but with the mention of his first gift to her, old and well worn, I just knew it had to be Jack and Sue (and the hockey sweater!).
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Restie
That cracks me up!!!!! I loved it yhm. Great idea tied in to Spring Cleaning.
Spring Cleaning, eh??? Clever my friend and a wonderful, cheerful little story, simply loved it!
and 
!!
Um, perhaps I should just apologize to the rest of y'all right now...
